Creator, Father, King #215

You have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.

SOMETIMES, IT’S HARD TO tell if someone is upset with you, especially if they’re good at concealing their feelings. But if that person calls you a “hypocrite,” “blind guide,” “blind fool,” “snake,” or a “whitewashed tomb,” you can be confident they don’t think highly of you!

On Tuesday of Passion Week, Jesus let the Pharisees and Jewish scribes know exactly how he felt about them, pronouncing these epithets and seven “woes” on them before the crowd in Jerusalem (Matthew 23). In Scripture, a woe is a warning of divine judgment.

The hypocritical religious leaders were masters of manmade religion. They thought they could earn God’s favor by fastidiously keeping hundreds of Old Testament commandments and other manmade laws. They even tithed the smallest herbs from their gardens (verse 23) and strained their beverages before drinking so they wouldn’t accidentally swallow a bug—thus becoming ceremonially unclean (verse 24).

Yet as Jesus said in today’s verse, they ignored what the law was really trying to teach them—justice, mercy, and faithfulness toward God and others.

They had chosen practice over principle.

What’s It Mean?

Practice over principle is not just an ancient problem. We might not struggle with the same specific issues as the first-century Jewish religious leaders did, but we can all get pharisaical about our worship.

Anytime you elevate a specific practice over the biblical principle behind it, you’re treading on dangerous ground. The Christian faith is not formulaic.

Elevating any worship practice above the proper heart behind it is a common temptation. As humans, it’s easier for us to check things off a list rather than live faithfully by the biblical principle that makes the practice worthwhile. Like the Pharisees two thousand years ago, our sinful hearts can quickly crave God’s approval through something other than Christ’s finished work on the cross.

Remember, God wants your heart. He’s not as concerned about the methods you use as he is your humble devotion to him and the motivation behind your worship. He doesn’t care about your obedience if it’s not being produced from a heart that loves him and wants to serve others.

So enjoy your garden herbs and drink your soda unstrained! And worship the Lord the way he outlines in Scripture—with “justice, mercy and faithfulness.”

Now What?

Test all spiritual “practices” you hear about against the final authority of God’s Word.

Did You Know?

Isaiah 1:10-20; Hosea 6:6; and 1 Samuel 15 (especially verses 22-23) are all helpful passages on this topic.